Comrades in Arms
by TheLichKing436
Summary: On the planet of Archus V, the massive hive is under siege by renegade chaos forces. Only a joint defense between the Death Korps of Krieg and the Cadian Shock Troops have a chance of stopping this crazed legion. Gregory, a new Cadian soldier, who has only heard myths about the Death Korps, must decide for himself if the Kriegsmen are men or machines, all the while surviving war.
1. Chapter 1 - Landfall

**AN**: First Fanfiction, trying to stay loyal to my sources, and tell me what you think. Go all out with your criticism (Even flames!) All I ask is that you explain your review.

Gregory awoke with a sudden jolt. The dark metal room was eerie, as he heard yelling emanate from outside. He got up, and realized he fell asleep with his flak jacket. He brushed this off, would only make him faster to form up outside. Two soldiers rushed past him, putting on their helmets.

"Oi! Gregory! Get movin' or the Commissar'll have your head!" One of them yelled, clearly from his platoon. He breathed slowly as he picked up his lasgun, putting on his leather boots, and rushed outside.

As Gregory moved out of the door, light flooded his eyes, as he cringed for a few seconds. He saw a massive line of men stand before him; all in standard Cadian battle gear. They were on the ground floor of a massive hive, though the lower levels were all but completely evacuated. What remained were desolate streets made of dirt, and hard plasteel buildings.

They were in what seemed like an intersection with 4 streets. Before them stood a massive lift that would carry people up to the other levels, right smack in the middle of the base, like a gigantic space elevator. The light that he thought was the sun turned out to be nothing more then artificial lighting. The buildings seemed to tower infinitely into the sky, but he could hear yells from the other companies echo from the upper levels.

A commissar and the Lord General himself stood in front of it. As he saw men pour out of the other "Barracks", he hurried into formation. He was in the second row of this makeshift line, and he could tell none of the other guardsmen enjoyed being in polluted clearing, in the streets of a massive hive.

From what Gregory could hear, the guardsmen quieted themselves. The lord general opened his mouth about to speak, but then an untimely snicker came out from one of the soldiers in the frontline. Not one second later the sound of a laspistol being discharged and a thud was heard, as commissars are known for doing.

"If your mouth is too rampant to show respect, then perhaps your scream will show an example!" The commissar shouted at the moaning guardsman. The General cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak once more.

"Alright, Cadians! I'm sure you've already heard of the renegade forces that will be giving us all Hell tomorrow! But, something your pamphlets forgot to leave out, was that we won't be fighting alone!"

The guardsmen would've groaned had it not been for the threat of execution not 10 feet away from them, in a trench coat. Whenever they paired up with another regiment, they were usually treated like crap. Catachans would shove them around and generally beat up some of the weaker Cadians while the officers weren't looking, while the Vostroyans typically twirled their massive mustaches and turned away and shunned them. Hell, even other Cadians would bully the members of their regiment for being a relatively new regiment.

"Our help won't be in the form of Space Marines, or in the help of Catachan!" The Lord General continued, "But in the form of a well-known force whose deserters' cocks are more loyal than all of you put together! You will be fighting with the Death Korps of Krieg! Masters of warfare, second only to Cadia!" He yelled, as several forced cheers cried out, joining his victory 'Hoo-rah!'

'Well shit,' Was all Gregory could think upon hearing that practically batshit insane legion. The guardsmen dispersed and Gregory moved up to a group of his comrades, all chatting in a circle near one of the armories. This was his squad, they were trained to respect and be friends with each other, but Gregory would always remain 'that one guy' to them. He only remembered two of their names; Skipper and Samuel.

"You think these Kriegsmen'll treat us like shit like the other regiments?" He heard one of the Cadians reply,

"No way. They'll be too busy being brainwashed assholes against the heretics." Another replied, folding his arms. The banter continued for several minutes before the alarm for rations was signaled.

After rations, Gregory sat on the dirt which covered the whole section of the Hive, in the clearing in the middle of their "base", watching the city on the other levels teem with life. He saw a Chimera drive by, with a big '234th' painted on the side. That was his regiment, the 234th regiment. The particular company he was in was composed of the recruits in Cadia, rarely showing much battle prowess of note, and it didn't get much better with the other companies.

Still, Gregory sat. Of course he never regretted his life. Regardless of what happened to him, the Emperor was always thankful for his service. Plus, he thanked the Emperor for the fact a Commissar hasn't executed him or anything dreadful like that.

He brought his rifle to his face and examined it, seeing as there was nothing left to do. It looked like it lacked any battle damage whatsoever. He saw this coming; it was fresh off the assembly line. The ammo was fully charged, and it showed no signs of breaking anytime soon, as if one of these things COULD break.

Gregory picked his head up to the sound of a group of guardsmen marching across the clearing, all chanting some tune he couldn't pick up. He asked what was going on, to which the guardsman at the very end replied, "Kriegsmen are here! We're a part of the welcoming party!" He said loudly. Gregory scrambled up and tried to catch up with them.

'Nobody would notice if he let himself in this little welcoming group, right?' He slipped his lasgun over his arm like his comrades and tried to pick up the pace his comrades had.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Arrivals

**AN: **I felt bored so I figured to set up my next chapter, even it might be too soon. Tell me what you think!

As Gregory and his comrades jogged, they saw massive black ships hover down at the city floor. Civilians were shooed away as scores of Devourer-Class Dropships eventually came to total lands. Gregory saw the Lord-General and his retinue already standing there, as if expecting right where they were going to land. The dropship's massive doors creaked open, and out stepped what could only be the Death Korp's general and HIS retinue. He walked up slowly and greeted the Cadian Lord-General, and then Gregory saw it.

Literally hundreds, no- thousands of Death Korps Guardsmen marched out in massive companies. He saw his other soldiers look in awe. Of course, looking back, Gregory realized his own regiment probably had this many, if not a little more, but it still was an awesome sight. After the infantry, who marched out at a surprising speed, were the Leman Russes, Chimeras, and other units of the Imperial Armour.

His attention was brought back when the Lord-General cleared his throat, moving in front of the "Welcoming Committee."

"Alright! Listen up, and spread the word to the rest of your Comrades! This is the leader of the 112th Death Korps of Krieg Infantry regiment! You are to listen to him as if he was me, and he will execute you just like I would if you show signs of disrespect and heresy!" He yelled, pausing to catch a breath.

"After you head back, I expect you to work with the Kriegsmen in setting up the defense of this level of the Hive world! I will be departing to give this exact same speech to the other companies! If I hear the lower levels are lost due to your foolish inability to cooperate with each other, I'll execute all of you! Am I clear!?" The Lord-General bellowed.

"Sir, Yes, Sir!" Gregory and his comrades replied. He dismissed them, and they all headed back for their company's camp, to which they noticed the Kriegsmen follow them.

'This is going to be difficult to explain to the Captain.' Gregory thought as he and his men marched back, albeit much slower.

As Gregory and his comrades made it back, they saw the Captain and several hundred Guardsmen waiting for them. Luckily the Captain already received the information via Vox, and didn't need Gregory's explanation. The Captain of his company nodded at the Death Korps Captain, who did nothing more than a simple gesture to acknowledge his existence.

"Listen here!" The captain shouted, "Platoon A will work with whoever the Death Korps will send to fortify the north entrance! Our base is currently situated right next to the only ground passage to the upper levels! While there will be fighting on the other levels, through us is the only way they're going to get their heavy armor! Platoons B and C will work to defending the East and West entrances, respectively! Finally, Platoon D, along with my command squad, will be reinforcing the Southern Entrance!"

Gregory gulped, he was in Platoon D, and this captain was a bit of an asshole.

"You hear me!? In 10 minutes I want you all to move out to your respective entrances!" He yelled, Gregory looked and saw the Death Korps receiving their own, only roughly 50 yards away.

Audible "Yes, Sirs!" were heard as the Guardsmen broke formation. Gregory headed over with his squad to the southern entrance, which was little more than a narrow street. Some of his squad mates were lugging over boxes of ammo, when he saw 16 Kriegsmen, all with Lasguns and Shovels, head with them.

"Fuck. We're having a trench fight." He heard one of his comrades mutter under his breath, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

Gregory couldn't help but notice soldiers pool into the buildings, setting up their own fortifications. Regardless, his squad would be in this hell-ditch that his "comrades" would dig out for him.

As they made it to the entrance, the Korpsmen spent no time in digging in the dirt. The other squads eventually showed up with loads of sandbags. Gregory helped his Cadian friends assemble a heavy bolter position, when he saw what more Kriegsmen show looked like 40 up and help with the digging. Gregory looked in surprise when he saw by the time he set up the second sandbag wall; the trenches were already half-built!

Gregory hopped in the trench and moved one of the assembled Heavy Bolters in one of the positions, to which he felt a heavy smack on the back of his head.

"Hey! What the hel-" He stopped himself as he saw who he was about to cuss to. It was a Krieg sergeant. He shook his head and pointed roughly a yard to Gregory's left, motioning that's where the Heavy Bolter should be.

"Oh… Sorry." He said, his pride only minimally hurt. Last thing he wanted was to start a fight with a guy who would kill babies as if it was nothing. He lugged over the Heavy Bolter to the point in question and set it up.

After the trench was finished, and the command bunker set up, he sat in the bottom of the trench. He saw a Kriegsmen slumped over. Gregory looked at the soldier.

"So what's your name?" He asked bluntly, what a great way to break the ice.

The Korpsmen looked up at him, and a muffled voice was heard, "One Three Seven Nine Eight." It sounded oddly feminine.

"Ah… I'm Gregory, what's your story?" Gregory asked. He was horrible at talking, but he might as well do something to pass the time. If the Korpsman had an expression, it would be of boredom, he assumed. Nonetheless, the guardsman responded

"What do you think, Cadian? I was born for war, it is my life, and it is my reason to exist." The Korpsman said stoically, though Gregory could detect a hint of sadness in the tone, which was sounding increasingly feminine. He reasoned not to press this, but wanted to continue the conversation anyway.

"I was drafted when I was… what, four?" Gregory said, chuckling, "But I am happy for my line of duty. Ultimately I know I am fighting for the God Emperor." He said, trying to sound happy.

The Korpsman sighed, "Cadian, let me tell you something" The voice said, the Korpsman was moving to stand up, but then they heard a loud shout.

"Holy shit! Renegades!" Immediately Gregory got up and looked over the Trench, 13798 standing right next to him. Thousands of figures run up to the trench. He heard running behind him, and saw hundreds of his own allies run up. He trained one of the renegades in the sights of his lasgun; the battle was just about to begin.


	3. Chapter 3 - Hell with Friends

**AN:** This is the final chapter I'll update on my own. After this I want to see some more reviews to know if my work is actually liked.

Gregory pulled the trigger of his lasgun. Immediately a stream of laser erupted, and he saw a renegade fall over. He heard screaming and as he looked over, hundreds of guardsmen, Korpsman and Cadian alike, took positions on the trench.

It wasn't long until the light sounds of lasers discharging were replaced with the roaring of bolters and autoguns. The renegades open fired, and he saw a Cadian, not much older than him, run up only to face a bullet to the head by a renegade. The renegade soldiers were getting closer and closer, as the heavy bolter positions begun filling up with soldiers, as they laid down streams of bolts into the heretics. He fired at full speed; he didn't even need to aim anymore. A renegade Taurox roared up, firing whatever the renegades had inside the vehicle like mad.

He saw a Cadian try to run, but then almost by instinct, 13798 spun around and discharged a clip into the boy.

"Y-You just shot that kid!" He shouted, in shock before turning to face back the Renegade tide. The Korpsman said nothing, and instead continued laying down a volley of las.

It was by now that the Taurox crashed into their trench, crushing a Korpsman, as renegades poured out of the door. Insane screaming emanated from inside as autoguns roared in the trench. He immediately got into a crouch, but then looked in shock as 13798 rushed up, Bayonet raised. He heard a yell he could definitely tell was a woman's.

"For The Emperor!" 13798 yelled, impaling her gun into a renegade. She barely had time to react before the butte of an autogun smacked her visor, knocking her to the ground, and leaving her lasgun stuck in the chest of the renegade's comrade.

'She's going to kill herself!' Gregory shouted inside his mind, as he quickly aimed his rifle. The Renegade brought a second smack to 13798's face, shouting something that sounded like "Glory to Khorne!" Right after this, the renegade was shot right in the head, a hot laser discharged. '

Gregory ran up, and examined her. The mask withstood most of the two hits, but she was definitely unconscious. He heard people run, and he spun around, Renegades filling up the trench.

"Back you dogs! Get back to the secondary trench!" The commissar yelled, discharging las into a renegade soldier. He heard the rolling of tanks, when he had to think of a decision. On one hand, it was extremely unlikely she would do the same for him. On the other, she was a fellow soldier, and she wasn't THAT injured. He looked around; he had no time to risk his life for a soldier who probably wouldn't do the same for her. He grabbed a tattered cloth and put it over her. That way she wouldn't be killed during the battle, and he could recover her when they won.

If they won, he felt. Regardless, he scrambled up after doing his deed. He sprinted towards the trench when he felt a bullet bounce of his shoulder, glancing off of it barely. Regardless, this sent him on the ground, a mouth filled with dirt. He gasped and quickly scrambled into the trench, greeted by Cadians and Korpsmen who were filling up the entire trench.

"By the Emperor, Greg! You made it!" He heard a man, his squad mate, shout. The heavy bolters roared into action once more, preventing any other dialogue. They quickly recovered their positions in the new trench, and laid down another line of fire. However, he quickly realized the renegades dug themselves into the trench they previously had!

He saw one of his squad mates fall on the ground, chest filled with bullets. He heard explosions emanate from the North, and fighting that sounded even worse! He was about ready to yell for mortars or something futile coming from a position like his, when he heard a yell, muffled.

"Kriegsmen, Laben Sie!" With that, hundreds of Korpsmen who packed the trench with him rose up and charged through the mud, renegade guns filling them with bullets. He then heard another yell.

"Cadians! Hold the line!" The Cadian captain shouted. He heard a small sigh come from one of his comrades as he watched the Krieg forces be torn apart, He discharged a few laser shots, accidentally hitting a charging Korpsman, but none of them paid much mind.

"They're insane…!" He muttered. Never before had he ever seen anyone who showed that much devotion. Never did anyone show that much mad fanaticism, to a cause that lead to their downfall! There had to be something, for no man would ever allow this to happen willingly, he thought!

"Cadians! Equip rebreathers!" He heard his captain yell, to which he and his comrades almost instinctively ran to the nearest crate and grabbed the rebreather helmets, trying to frantically put them on. He looked up to the trench and he saw a Renegade Predator literally running over scores of Korpsmen before his entire vision turned green with poisonous gas.

He coughed violently as the rebreather adjusted itself. He could hardly see a thing, but regardless he went back to firing blindly into the green gas, probably hitting at the very least something alive. He heard another shout.

"Kriegsmen! Zurückziehen!" The same Krieg captain yelled. Gregory had no idea what he was yelling, but he saw the remaining Korpsmen run back into the trench. He heard screams and moans roar from the other trench as the gas spread into the trench.

"Cadians! Move out!" His captain yelled. He was almost compelled to follow this order, and he saw the Korpsmen firing blindly into the gas the same way he was. Some of his Cadian brothers were shot on accident, but the Korpsmen showed no remorse, no regret. To them, the Cadians were only in the way. They were weak for being shot.

Gregory and his squad moved into the trench. He saw the cloth-covered body in the ground, as he saw hundreds of other renegades practically piled on top of 13798. Gregory looked, and saw there were no renegades in the area. He piled off the bodies off of the woman, thinking it would've suffocated her, otherwise. He heard yelling, and thudding. He looked over the trench, the gas barely clearing up.

What he saw horrified him. It was a Chaos Dreadnaught, and a squad of chaos space marines, accompanied by a whole new wave of the renegades.


End file.
